20 February 2026
Dear Parents / Carers,
A Courageous Beginning: Remembering February 1946
This week holds particular significance in the life of Chevalier College.
On 18 February 1946, the first MSC priests arrived onsite, preparing for what must have felt like an extraordinary leap of faith. Just two days later, 22 boarders arrived on 20 February, followed by the commencement of classes with an additional 18 day students on 21 February 1946. In the space of just a few days, a school was not simply opened, it was brought to life.
Today, it is not unusual for a principal to be appointed twelve months or more before a new school opens. Detailed master planning, staffing structures, enrolment projections, capital works, compliance frameworks, policies, procedures and marketing strategies are carefully sequenced and reviewed. Rightly so, schools are complex organisations.
Which makes one pause and wonder: how did Father Harry Reid and his ‘leadership team’ do it 80 years ago?
The honest answer is that he did it with a combination of foresight, courage, trust, and a willingness to act before everything was fully formed. There was, undoubtedly, a little “ready, fire, aim” about the whole adventure. Not reckless, but courageous. Not careless, but deeply mission-driven.
The story of Chevalier College is built on the foundations of the charism of Missionaries of the Sacred Heart (MSC). The MSC tradition has always been marked by a willingness to go where they were needed. Part of that has been a commitment to educating young people not just academically, but humanly and spiritually. Their focus was never solely on buildings or systems, but on hearts and the formation of young people who would live with compassion, kindness and courage in the world.
Arriving in February 1946, Father Reid and the MSC community did not have the luxury of certainty. What they did have was clarity of purpose. They believed profoundly that this place mattered, that young people mattered, and that education shaped lives and futures. That belief was strong enough to act on, even when not every detail was yet resolved.
That spirit continues to shape Chevalier College today.
While our context has changed dramatically, the underlying call remains the same: to be a community that leads with heart, acts with courage, and looks forward with hope. We still seek to balance careful planning with bold vision. We still strive to educate the whole person in mind, heart and spirit. And we still rely on trust, collaboration and shared mission to guide our decisions.
Anniversaries like this invite us to pause, not just to remember dates, but to reconnect with the values that gave rise to this community. The courage to begin. The foresight to imagine something better. The humility to learn along the way. And the conviction that education, when grounded in love and service, can transform lives.
As we mark this week, we give thanks for those early pioneers and for the MSC charism that continues to animate Chevalier College. Their willingness to step forward, before everything was certain, reminds us that the most meaningful ventures often begin not with perfect plans, but with deep purpose and courageous faith.
Eighty years on, we remain grateful heirs of a bold beginning and committed custodians of its spirit for the generations to come.
Have a great weekend.
Greg Miller
Principal
Monday 23 - Reminder ALL students attend school
Monday 23 February - Week 5 is now a day when ALL students attend school. Please note that this is a change to what is printed in the Student Diaries.
As communicated in the College Statement emailed to parents and carers on 9 December, there is no flipped learning for Years 7, 8 and 9 in 2026. These year groups have a timetabled day of face to face lessons on Flexible Mondays.
Calendar Change - Monday 27 April
As you may be aware, the NSW Government recently gazetted Monday 27 April as a public holiday. Accordingly, there will be no school on that day.
Our Parent–Teacher Evening was scheduled to take place on Monday 27 April and will therefore be rescheduled. The new date will be communicated to families as soon as it is confirmed.
The College Leadership Team did consider a range of alternatives, including adjustments around the commencement of Term 2, however, there was a feeling that various options would cause considerable disruption for families and staff.
At this stage, and in alignment with government schools, the College, as planned, will commence Term 2 with two staff development days followed by three student learning days, with the public holiday now falling on the second Monday of the term.
Other than the rescheduling of the Parent–Teacher Evening, there will be no further changes to the College calendar at the start of Term 2.
McGrath Hall Redevelopment – Changes to Car Park Arrangements
Construction works will commence shortly, impacting the JFC / McGrath Hall car park. For student safety, parents and carers must use Pick-up Points A and B and should not enter the JFC / McGrath Hall car parks.
Student Address Collection - 2026
The Australian Government Department of Education requests non-government schools to provide address details for the purpose of informing Australian Government school education policy and helping to ensure funding for non-government schools is based on need.
Chevalier College is required to provide the department with the following information about each student at the school no later than Wednesday 11 March 2026:
- Names and residential addresses of students’ parent(s) and/or guardian(s)
- Student residential address (excluding student names)
- Whether the student is a primary or secondary student (education level)
Whether the student is boarding or a day student (boarding status).
The school collects the above information by generating a unique and unidentifiable student reference number (SRN) for each student record, which is also provided to the department.
What you need to do
If your residential address has recently changed and you have not yet advised us, please update your details in Parent Orbit.
Bus Information
We are currently working closely with Berrima Buses to make sure that students are able to safely and reliably catch the buses to and from school. They have shared the following information with us to help with the overcrowding of buses in the afternoons.
Please read through this information with your child, if applicable, to help with the process.
1. ALL students who transfer to the Picton Buslines Black Swan at Bargo need to be on the PM12 Rosella Bus. Currently, they’re catching 3 buses (Lion & Zebra), and this makes the transfer hard to manage.
2. Students who transfer to the Rabbit or Kookaburra bus at Bowral Public School should be on the PM03 Frog Bus from Chevalier. Some students are currently overloading the Zebra to make this connection. These students will be asked to load last, as they have other options.
3. Students going into Bowral to shop, for music lessons, appointments etc, should be on the PM03 Frog. If this is overloaded, they have the PM11 Lion and PM07 Owl close behind. We ask them to use these options, as they are travelling outside of the SSTS conditions (school to home / home to school) and are not being charged a fare.
Berrima buses would like to continue to offer this service as a support to our community but if it causes issues with students travelling within the guidelines, this may change.
If you have any concerns about bus routes, please contact Berrima Buses.
Seeking Work Placement Hosts
Chevalier College is looking for local businesses (including parents and friends of the College) who can support our Year 10 Cert III Business students by hosting a work placement from Monday 2 March to Friday 6 March. Other dates can also be negotiated if these dates are not suitable.
Our students can assist with a range of entry-level admin duties such as:
- Reception support and greeting customers
- Filing and scanning
- Data entry
- Basic document formatting
- Mail-outs, stock/office supply checks
- Setting up meeting spaces
- General tidying, cleaning
- Keeping work areas organised
Even where hands-on tasks are limited, shadowing and observing a supervisor completing daily business operations is incredibly valuable learning.
If you can host a student, please get in touch with the VET Coordinator,
Peggy Handley at handleyp@chevalier.nsw.edu.au.
Peggy Handley
Leader of Learning - Technologies and VET
Good Shepherd House
The Leaders of House have moved office. They are now where Student Services used to be and their office has been named "Good Shepherd House”.
Student Services and the College Reception are now co-located. Please go through the College Reception for any appointments.
E-bikes and E-scooters
We have been contacted by our Youth Command Officer with some important information for Students and Parents.
Young people in the Southern Highlands are being detected utilising illegal E-bike and E-scooters, placing themselves and other community members at risk of being hurt.
In addition there is an increased risk of the illegal bikes/scooters being confiscated by Police.
Please read the information below.
Natalie LaGarde
Dean of Students
Parent Wellbeing Presentation
Chevalier is a valued member of the Open Parachute family, a digital wellbeing platform, who has invited our parent and caregiver community to a very special evening on Wednesday 4th March.
Join leading adolescent Clinical Psychologist and co-founder of Open Parachute, Dr Hayley Watson, for an in-person and online event that aims to help parents, guardians, and caregivers learn the most effective tools for building child/adolescent resilience to counteract stress/anxiety.
Dr. Watson will focus on skills and strategies to help caregivers equip their child with the tools they need to overcome stress and change unhelpful behaviour patterns.
Please see the flyer below for further information.
Ms Kelly Walker
Assistant Principal - Wellbeing and Growth
Project Compassion
This week we commenced the Season of Lent. As a college community, this season is an opportunity to support Caritas Australia through our annual Project Compassion Appeal. This year’s theme, Unite Against Poverty, invites us to think about how our compassion for others can move beyond words and become real action. Each homeroom has been given a Project Compassion box and we encourage students to bring in money to support this important cause. Alternatively, students can click on the link to their house fundraising page in the student notices and donate online. Later this term, Reid House will also be running a St Patrick's Day Cake Stall with all proceed going to Project Compassion.
If any family would like their own Project Compassion box to take home this Lent, please contact the office.
Australian Catholics Education Hub
This year, the college has purchased a subscription to Australian Catholics Education Hub. This is a wonderful resource where students, families and staff can access current and past issues of Australian Catholics. To access and explore this resource, please visit HERE.
Access for parents
Password: acparents
Any number of users can be logged in at the same time.
Alexander Abbey
Assistant Principal - Faith Formation and Mission
ISA Round 10 - Saturday 21 February 2026
A Food Truck will be located at Main Oval.
We’re seeking parent volunteers to assisting with Basketball Scoring.
Click here for the Basketball Scoring Volunteers.
Your support is greatly appreciated!
College Swimming Carnival - Friday 27 February
Please be advised all students will be attending the College swimming carnival on Friday 27 February from 9:00am – 2:30pm at the Bowral Pool.
The carnival is a compulsory school event. We are asking for your assistance in ensuring that students attend the carnival unless they are unwell.
Further details can be found below.
Coach Phillips
Extra Curriculum Coordinator
Gap Year
Are you considering a structured gap year after school?
Students are invited to attend a free online information session with New Ventures Worldwide designed for students, parents and careers advisers who want to understand how a volunteering gap year works and whether it is the right fit.
The session will outline supported volunteering placements in Spain, Canada and the UK, including safety, programme structure and the application process.
Donna Murchie
Careers Facilitator / Study Supervisor
- ALL Students Attend School (not Flexible Monday) - 23 February
- Year 11 and 9 VET Course Induction - 23 February
- Japan Information Evening - 24 February
- CDSA Public Speaking Preliminary Round - 27 February
- College Swimming Carnival - 27 February
- Year 11 and 12 Music 1 ENCORE excursion - 2 March
- Year 10 VET WP 2 - 2 - 6 March
- Year 12 Retreat - 4 - 6 March
- House Meetings - 4 February
- Winter Sports Sign-ups - 4 March
- CDSA Public Speaking Semi Final - 6 March
- International Women's Day Breakfast - 6 March
- Year 7 and 11 Buddy Leader Program - 6 March
- Twilight Swimming Carnival - 6 March